Smoking pipe holder

ABSTRACT

A holder for smoking pipes having relatively movable parts hinged together, and foldable to an extended configuration, providing a base and above it a recess for retaing the bowl of a pipe in upright position with the pipe stem extending out of the recess, and also operable to a flattened configuration for convenient portability in a pocket of the smoker.

[451 July 25, 1972 United States Patent Sobczak 3,401,702 9/1968 Rossman........................131/240 R X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 SMOKING PIPE HOLDER [72] Inventor:

96,536 4/1924 603,337 l/l926 France....... 880,571 1/1943 France [22] Filed:

[21] App]. No.:

Primary ExaminerJoseph S. Reich [51] Int. [58] Field A holder for smoking pipes having relatively movable parts References Cited hinged together, and foldable to an extended configuration,

UNITED STATES PATENTS providing a base and above it a recess for retaing the bowl of a fr m t un .m t nm we erl tn a: C MM d m m u 8 "8 .I w F Wmm m M M e a H mm& D mmwn wma n m i u w .ww C l l a m 11 d an. 0.5 ew m 8 .wmm tc ...13l/260 UX ......131/260 X Dorrancel31/240 R 1,636,378 Mallory 2,616,558 Kay, .lr....

2,650,595 9/1953 l-larkins.......

SMOKING PIPE HOLDER This invention relates to a portable holder for a smokingpipe which may be collapsed into a flat thin contour, for convenient carrying in a garment pocket of the smoker, and extendable into a configuration adapted to hold the bowl of a pipe upright.

Often-times, a pipe smoker urgently needs a pipe holder in a place where none is available, and has to resort to various well known but unsatisfactory expedients for propping up a lighted or unlighted pipe, so that its contents will not spill. This invention aims to satisfy the needs of such a situation, by providing a collapsible pipe holder, which the smoker can conveniently carry in one of his pockets.

The general object of the invention is to provide a small collapsible pipe holder which can be carried in a garment pocket.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe holder, which can be collapsed to about the size of a conventional small thin notebook, but is openable to a sturdy and durable configuration, suited for emergency or continued use for pipe holding.

Another general object of the invention is to provide a portable pipe holder which may be made, if desired, of such inexpensive construction and materials as to make its advantages and its use available to virtually every smoker of pipes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be mentioned hereinafter or will become obvious in the ensuing description.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one form of the invention, showing the holder in its collapsed configuration, and showing a pair of resilient rubber bands thereon in the position they normally occupy at such time.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same holder in its extended configuration, ready to receive and retain a pipe bowl in upright position, and showing the rubber bands retaining the holder in extended position.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the holder in operative position, omitting the rubber bands for the sake of clarity, and showing a pipe in the holder in a favored stem draining posture.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, but showing a pipe in the position preferred for a loaded pipe.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of FIG. 1, showing in exaggerated dimensions, a multiple layer material, scored and cut for use in the holder.

FIG. 6 is a section, in perspective, at one hinge position, illustrating the use of one layer of multi-layer material as a hinge element.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the holder, showing the position of one of the rubber bands, as they retain the holder in operative position.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the pipe holder retained in extended position, by a notched brace.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of that notched brace.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of another modification of the invention, which includes a hinged brace.

FIG. 11 is an edge view of the device of FIG. 10, to illustrate the notching or crimping thereof, to form hinge lines.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 9 of the drawing, which show one form of the invention, a single sheet of multi-layer cardboard, shown in section in FIG. 5, includes a conventional core layer 11, to which are adhesively applied top and bottom layers 12 and 13, made of a tougher, flexible material, which may be a suitable paper, or some synthetic plastic material, or other flexible material.

The layers are shown in exaggerated dimensions in FIG. 5, so that the cutting or scoring may be more easily perceived. By any appropriate method or means this assembly of layers may be cut entirely through along the lines 14 and I4 and lines 15 and 15', The layer assembly is also scored or partially cut, as shown in each instance, along the lines 16 to 20, inclusive, thus to permit he use of the uncut parts of the top or bottom layers opposite such score lines to serve as hinges, which hinges bear numerals corresponding to the adjacent score lines.

Since the core layer is cut through at the hinge positions, the device is readily collapsed to its flat position of FIGS. 1 and 5, and easily moved about its hinges to the operative position, shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 7, and 8.

When the holder is in its extended configuration, the smoker may place the pipe bowl in the wider notch framed by the cut margins 14 and 15, allowing the stem to extend out through the narrower notch framed by the cut margins l4 and 15'.

The holder is held flat or extended by a pair of slender rubber bands 23 and 24, which are engaged in notches 25 to 28, and embrace the entire assembly, as shown.

Should the smoker lose the rubber bands, there is provided a brace fashioned from any stiff material, as is shown in FIG. 9, and applied as in FIG. 8, with the margin 29 engaged at the position of hinge l7, and the margins 31 and 32 of legs 33 and 34 engaged at the positions of the hinges l8 and 19, thus to hold the device extended firmly for as as may be desired.

The portions of the holder, shown flattened in FIG. 1 are identifiable in FIG. 2 by numerals 21, 22, and 35 to 38.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the pipe holder may be shifted to the extended state by holding the device by the longitudinal edges of parts 37 and 38, and then by pressing down on the platform 21. This action causes platform 21 to pivot downwardly on its hinge 20 and simultaneously part 22 moves downwardly, pivoting on its hinges l7 and 16, causing parts 35 and 36 to be pulled down as they pivot on hinges 19 and 18, respectively.

The pivoting movements all occur simultaneously, and the holder reaches the configuration shown in FIG. 2, where it may be retained by the rubber bands.

The invention is not limited to the use as starting material of multi-layer sheet material. For example, the several parts 35, 36, 37, 38 21 and 22 may be individually made by die cutting, and thereafter hinged together by sheet material hinges, adhesively applied, or hinged together by more conventional hinges of metal or other suitable rigid materials.

As a further modification, and as seen in FIGS. 10 and l l, a sheet of a single layer, which may be a plastic material known as Silastic, presently sold by Dow-Coming may be employed. In this instance, the sheet 41 may be crimped, as shown in FIG. 11, to thus form hinges at the same positions as the hinge lines of FIGS. 1 and 2. Crimping of Silastic is well known for forming flexible and durable hinges. And as a further modification in a plastic holder, a U-shaped brace could be imposed on the top surface of the platform 21 and hinged thereto at 42 by any suitable attachment, with the spaced apart legs 43 and 44 of this brace lying flatly on part 21, when the holder is collapsed, but rotated up to the position of the brace member 34 shown in FIG. 8, to lock the pipe holder firmly in extended position.

The invention is not limited to the details of the construction herein disclosed, but includes such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having shown and described my invention, I claim:

1. In a collapsible pipe holder,

an outer frame having a tapered longitudinal slot therein,

the slot being occupied in the collapsed position by a tapered platform having one relatively wide end which is hinged to one end portion of the frame,

a link hinged to the other narrow end of the platform and to the other end of the frame,

the frame including two oppositely extending U-shaped members having legs whose extremities are contiguous and hinged to opposing leg extremities of the other,

the holder being extendable from a planar collapsed form to an extended pipe receivable configuration by hinged displacement of the platform from one end of the frame with ensuing hinging action of the other U-shaped member thereby providing two oppositely inclined elevated pipe receiving slot means framed by said legs one of which is adapted for receiving and retaining the bowl of a pipe in an upright position,

and means for retaining said U-shaped members in a pipe receivable position.

2. In a pipe holder collapsible into a generally flat configuration for carrying,

a frame having two generally U-shaped members each having a transverse base and a pair of legs each having an extremity extending toward and into proximity with the legs of the other and in the same plane when collapsed,

hinge means connecting the opposite adjacent leg extremities, said hinged leg extremities being adapted for being inclined upwardly. into an inverted V-shaped operative configuration to thus frame between them two oppositely inclined slot means,

the margins of one slot being shaped and proportioned for embracing the bowl of a pipe to hold it upright,

and means for retaining said members in an operative position.

3. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 1 in which the other slot means is positioned for receiving the pipe stem.

4. Apipe holder in accordance with claim 2, in which the other slot means is positioned for receiving the pipe stem.

5. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 1, in which the bowl receiving slot means is of varying widths for gripping bowls of different diameters.

6. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 2, in which the bowl receiving slot is of varying widths for gripping bowls of different diameters.

7. A pipe holder in accordance with claim I, in which the retaining means includes a pair of flexible bands embracing both sides of said frame each laterally outside said slot means.

8. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 2, in which the retaining means includes a pair of flexible bands embracing both sides of said frame each laterally outside said slot means.

9. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 1, in which the retaining means includes brace means engageable with the leg extremities in the vicinity of the leg hinges, and contactable with the area hinging the U-shaped member to the platform.

10. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 2, in which the retaining means includes hinge means connecting the transverse base portions of the U-shaped members of the frame to said retaining means.

11. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 2, in which the retaining means includes brace means engageable with the hinge juncture of the leg extremities, said brace means being hinged to said holder.

* l 8 k I! 

1. In a collapsible pipe holder, an outer frame having a tapered longitudinal slot therein, the slot being occupied in the collapsed position by a tapered platform having one relatively wide end which is hinged to one end portion of the frame, a link hinged to the other narrow end of the platform and to the other end of the frame, the frame including two oppositely extending U-shaped members having legs whose extremities are contiguous and hinged to opposing leg extremities of the other, the holder being extendable from a planar collapsed form to an extended pipe receivable configuration by hinged displacement of the platform from one end of the frame with ensuing hinging action of the other U-shaped member thereby providing two oppositely inclined elevated pipe receiving slot means framed by said legs one of which is adapted for receiving and retaining the bowl of a pipe in an upright position, and means for retaining said U-shaped members in a pipe receivable position.
 2. In a pipe holder collapsible into a generally flat configuration for carrying, a frame having two generally U-shaped members each having a transverse base and a pair of legs each having an extremity extending toward and into proximity with the legs of the other and in the same plane when collapsed, hinge means connecting the opposite adjacent leg extremities, said hinged leg extremities being adapted for being inclined upwardly into an inverted V-shaped operative configuration to thus frame between them two oppositely inclined slot means, the margins of one slot being shaped and proportioned for embracing the bowl of a pipe to hold it upright, and means for retaining said members in an operative position.
 3. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 1 in which the other slot means is positioned for receiving the pipe stem.
 4. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 2, in which the other slot means is positioned for receiving the pipe stem.
 5. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 1, in which the bowl receiving slot means is of varying widths for gripping bowls of different diameters.
 6. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 2, in which the bowl receiving slot is of varying widths for gripping bowls of different diameters.
 7. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 1, in which the retaining means includes a pair of flexible bands embracing both sides of said frame each laterally outside said slot means.
 8. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 2, in which the retaining means includes a pair of flexible bands embracing both sides of said frame each laterally outside said slot means.
 9. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 1, in which the retaining means includes brace means engageable with the leg extremities in the vicinity of the leg hinges, and contactable with the area hinging the U-shaped member to the platform.
 10. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 2, in which the retaining means includes hinge means connecting the transverse base portions of the U-shaped members of the frame to said retaining means.
 11. A pipe holder in accordance with claim 2, in which the retaining means includes brace means engageable with the hinge juncture of the leg extremities, said brace means being hinged to said holder. 